On November 7, Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) Director Mark Hurst, MD, issued a memo to physicians and other healthcare professionals reinforcing the notion that Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorders is the standard of care. The memo, which includes links to extensive research on MAT outcomes, notes there are currently three Food and Drug Administration-approved MAT options: products containing naltrexone, products containing buprenorphine, and methadone.
“All three options have advantages and disadvantages for specific patients, and all three are demonstrated to improve treatment outcomes. There is no evidence that one form of MAT is more effective than the others,” Dr. Hurst stated in the memo. “Many prescribers cannot offer all forms of MAT, and some do not have the ability to offer MAT at all, but patients should be informed of the different options available and referrals made when needed,” he added.